Math Strategy: Taking Jumps of Ten Forward or Backward

What does 'Taking Jumps of Ten Forward or Backward' as a strategy look like?

Math Strategy:  Taking Jumps of Ten Forward or Backward

Math Strand:  Number Sense

Overview:

Students typically begin jumping strategies by starting to count on or back from the whole number. They progress to counting on to the nearest decade number (10, 20, 30,..) and then taking jumps of ten. In this strategy, students keep one number whole and then the other number is split into tens; jumps forward or backward by tens are made and then they add on or remove the remaining ones.

How this Supports Student Learning:

When students are able to jump on or back by tens they are becoming more efficient. 

Less Efficient:

More Efficient:

This strategy may help students move from the 100 chart to the open number line. 

This will also reinforce the importance of having a good understanding of ten in our number system.  

Where to Next:

You may wish to work on these other strategies,
- Getting to a Decade Number and Taking Jumps of 10 Forward or Backward,
- Overshoot and Return.

These strategies are closely connected to each other because of the use of 10.

Refer to the previous continuum strategies posted on the blog for further information on the strategies above and to reinforce your understanding of the continuum.


When your student is at this point in the continuum prompt them to justify why the strategy they are choosing is the most efficient strategy to use. To do this, encourage students to first consider the numbers in front of them before they select a strategy. For more information on this, see the blog/video on "Using Strategic Efficient Methods".

Share your classroom experiences with Taking Jumps of Ten Forward or Backward with us on Instagram and Twitter at @LKelempro #EngageLK!